Education coalition calls for resources in child care centres

The Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) has called for multi-sectoral efforts in ensuring that community based child care centres have adequate resources to enable children have access to education at an early age.

Community-based child-care center

Project officer for CSEC Aerahnive Jamali made the call on Monday when the project donated various learning and playing materials to Tomasi Community Based Child Care Centre in T/A Simphasi in Mchinji.

She said it was appalling to note that most communities have no required resources for learning in pre-schools a situation which could lead to delayed child development.

Jamali said her project advocates for early child hood development in rural areas but this cannot be attained if the children do not have the resources,” she said.

A member of the Mchinji Education network Francis Kamude said most community based child care centres in the district have poor infrastructure making it difficult for children to learn during rainy season.

“These young children need proper care and we call on government and other institutions to help such CBCC’s,” He said

Most child based care centres in Mchinji are grass thatched and do not have qualified teachers making it hard for young children aged 2 to 5 years to have good education.

Funded by Open society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) the education coalition CSCEC also promotes early child development with focus on children with disabilities